People’s Weekly World: Puerto Rico’s teachers fight for public education
Puerto Rican teachers and their allies took to the streets of San Juan on Feb. 8 to protest the decertification of their union. The decertification happened in reaction to the union’s recent strike vote over the conditions of public schools and low wages. The Puerto Rican Federation of Teachers (FMPR) picketed the Public Sector Labor Relations Commission under the slogan, “You cannot decertify our fight!”
A Puerto Rican appeals court issued a temporary injunction against the decertification last week.
Besides the demands for higher wages (starting salary is $19,200) and better working conditions, the Federation of Teachers is also negotiating for improvements in the education of Puerto Rican youths.
The union’s demands
include:
• Class limit of 15 students so as to give individual attention.
• More teachers in fine arts, physical education, special needs education, health and other areas so as to enrich the academic offerings.
• More psychologists, social workers and other necessary staff.
• That every school has a well-stocked and functioning
library.
• Mandatory health and safety measures be taken to guarantee conditions adequate for uninterrupted study.
• More substitute or itinerant teachers be hired.
• Institute democratic and participatory norms of school organization so that students can have the course offerings and learning conditions that they deserve.
• Enough materials and equipment so that each course can adequately serve the needs of the students.
• Guarantees against the privatization of schools so as to assure a free quality public school education.
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